Arkansas Symphony Orchestra brings Holiday Traditions to Stuttgart

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the PCCUA Stuttgart Foundation are bringing the Christmas spirit to the Grand Prairie Center Saturday, Dec. 7, with their Holiday Traditions and a special VIP party.

Grand Prairie residents won't have to wait an entire month to hear their favorite holiday songs this Christmas season.

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the PCCUA Stuttgart Foundation are bringing the Christmas spirit to the Grand Prairie Center Saturday, Dec. 7, with their Holiday Traditions and a special VIP party.

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra returns to the center for its annual Holiday Traditions show, featuring traditional and pop Christmas selections, as well as a few surprises.

Before the 8 p.m. show, visit the PCCUA Stuttgart Foundation's VIP party with hors d'oeuvres by 5 Oaks Catering and cocktails by Ludwig Distributing Company. All proceeds from the party benefit the PCCUA Stuttgart Foundation.

"This show gives everyone an excuse to dress in your classy cocktail attire and enjoy the fine arts and culture of a symphony in its 48th season," Grand Prairie Center Director Renee Robison said. "That in itself gives you a reason to know we are getting one of the best orchestras in this region of the country. The talented musicians under the direction of Philip Mann are a must see!"

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra is in its 48th season and is considered of the state's most dynamic performing symphonic organizations.

Mann is in his third season as music director of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, which has seen audience and artistic growth, new energy and financial health under his tenure.

Hailed by the BBC as a "talent to watch out for, who conveys a mature command of his forces," Mann is quickly gaining a worldwide reputation as an "expressively graceful yet passionate" artist with a range spanning opera, symphonic repertoire, new music and experimental collaborations.

As winner of the Vienna Philharmonic's Karajan Fellowship at the Salzburg Festival, Mann has relationships with orchestras and operas worldwide including the Cleveland Orchestra, l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Georgian State Opera and the National Symphony of Cyprus. His recent Beethoven 9 was described as "Titanic" and his Canadian debut with the OSQ was dubbed by Le Soleil as a "Tour de Force" and led to an immediate reengagement in 2013.

Elected a Rhodes Scholar, Mann studied and taught at Oxford, and has served as assistant conductor to many well-known directors. At Oxford, he won the annual competition to become principal conductor of the Oxford University Philharmonia. Under his leadership, the Philharmonia's performances and tours received international press and acclaim.

Tickets for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's Holiday Traditions show are $30 or $20.

Tickets to the PCCUA Stuttgart Foundation VIP Party, which will be sold separately, are $75. Cocktail attire is required for the VIP Party.